Peterhead are considering whether to lodge an appeal after they were ordered by the SPFL to replay their League 1 match against Ayr United and fined £10,000 after being found guilty of fielding an ineligible player.
Defender Reece Donaldson helped the Blue Toon beat the Honest Men 3-2 at Somerset Park on November 15 courtesy of a Rory McAllister hat-trick but should not have been on the pitch as he was suspended.
Peterhead claim they were given permission to field Donaldson after being informed by the SFA’s disciplinary department the player was not suspended but the association has no record of having received a call and insists it is the club’s responsibility to know when players are suspended.
The defender, who was also charged at the hearing, played the full 90 minutes and the club and the player pled guilty to breach of SPFL regulation 21 in the SPFL’s player registration, transfer and contract regulations.
As a result, the Blue Toon have been censured, ordered to replay the game against Ayr United and fined £10,000, although part of the fine has been suspended.
Club chairman Rodger Morrison labelled the decision “draconian” but declined to comment further, while manager Jim McInally said: “I do not want to say anything on the subject until a decision is made on an appeal.”
Donaldson is suspended from playing in the replayed fixture for which a date has still to be arranged.
SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said: “In the interests of sporting integrity and fairness to both sides, the game will be replayed.”
The Balmoor club and the player face the prospect of further disciplinary action after being issued with notices of complaint by the SFA.
The matter will be discussed at the next disciplinary meeting on Thursday, December 4.